Food systems are diverse, complex and primordial to human society, their components relate or influence each other in overlapping and heterogenic ways. Thus, it is essential to approach the subject using interdisciplinary,... [ view full abstract ]
Food systems are diverse, complex and primordial to human society, their components relate or influence each other in overlapping and heterogenic ways. Thus, it is essential to approach the subject using interdisciplinary, holistic lenses. This paper will focus on the role of government in small-scale farming and the development of social and solidarity economy SSE as marketing systems for the family farmers in the Northeast of Brazil. The paper aims to contribute to the complex debate on how academic research can contribute to the development of better food systems and offering support for policymakers towards building inclusive food systems that take into consideration its diverse stakeholders. The study's approach was to conduct an interdisciplinary review concerning the role of government in the development of food systems. Besides, it presents the preliminary results of the perspective of small-scale farmers, from the Northeast of Brazil, about the government's role in food systems. The data comes from interviews carried with family farmers, SSE producers and other stakeholders, between June and August of 2017, at the Brazilian Northeast state of Rio Grande do Norte RN. Policies usually respond to significant issues that affect society, in respect to food systems these problems can be identified by different stakeholders or may be recognized internationally, by global agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization-FAO. In theory, the literature shows that governments and policymakers today focus on issues related to sustainability, food produced, food distribution, food security, food processing, consumption and health impacts, among others. In practice, the farmers that participated in this research, expects the government to offer relief to their struggles. The most relevant issues were related to credit-access and infrastructure, followed by socio-political issues, as criticism against budget cuts were attributed to the current Brazilian government in addition to problems with policy implementations and representation. Education was also cited, especially the need for technical assistance. Another issue mentioned was related to environmental struggles caused by extended droughts cycles. The researcher experience dilemmas during the collaborative study when actors suggested research results are not effectively shared with participants in a usable way. In conclusion, the issues identified in interviews coincide with the broad subject in the literature supporting claims about the influence of the global food systems in regional and local ones. In this preliminary research problems identified by farmers were also locally and regionally specific, as the Brazilian Northeast is marked by a longstanding history of governmental omission, unemployment and poverty. Governments rely on information from diverse disciplines and stakeholders of society in the decision-making process for the creation of public policies and programs, arguably choosing the causes that are needed the most and are considered more economically efficient. However, government direction and ideology plays a role in how these considerations might transpire. Thus, the role of government is to create institutions that provide enabling and thriving conditions for sustainable food systems to develop, nationally, regionally and locally. In the case, policies for capacity building, the creation of political spaces for discussion and representation, support for research, networking and access to public goods, like credit and infrastructure.
The continuation of the research will offer a sharper focus in order to state the specific ways the government can help small farmers, especially within this geographical area.
Keywords: Food systems, sustainability, government, family farming, solidarity economy.
1b. Research methods and methodologies (including the role of academia, policy engagement
